Saturday, September 15, 2012

Federal Officers Question Anti-Muslim Film Maker

It seems more and more certain that Christian extremists were behind the making and Internet promotion of the vile film "Innocence of Muslims," that denigrates Islam and the Prophet Muhammad and which has ignited violence across the Arab world.  The Virginian Pilot has coverage on the questioning of one of the principal players in the making of the anti-Muslim screed - a self described Coptic Christian and felon, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula.  As seems to always be the case, "Christians" like Nakoula apparently has no problem lying, defrauding people and trashing the Gospel message in general.  It's truly a perverted example of "living one's Christian faith" and is yet another strong example why anyone truly moral would not seek to wear the Christian moniker.  Here are some story highlights:

Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, 55, was interviewed at the station in his hometown of Cerritos, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Don Walker said.  Federal officials have said they were investigating the activities of Nakoula, who has been convicted of financial crimes. If the probation department determines Nakoula violated terms of his release, a judge could send him back to prison.
 
The probation department is reviewing the case of Nakoula, who was previously convicted on bank fraud charges and was banned from using computers or the Internet as part of his sentence. The review is aimed at learning whether Nakoula violated the terms of his five-year probation.

Karen Redmond, a spokeswoman for the administrative office of the U.S. courts, confirmed Friday the review is under way.

Federal authorities have identified Nakoula, a self-described Coptic Christian, as the key figure behind "Innocence of Muslims," a film denigrating Islam and the Prophet Muhammad that ignited mob violence against U.S. embassies across the Middle East. A federal law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Thursday that authorities had connected Nakoula to a man using the pseudonym of Sam Bacile who claimed earlier to be writer and director of the film.

While it was unclear what might have provoked authorities' interest, the filmmaker's use of a false identity and his access to the Internet through computers could be at issue, according to experts in cyber law and the federal probation system. Nakoula, who told the AP that he was logistics manager for the film, was under requirements to provide authorities with records of all his bank and business accounts.

The probation order authorized in June 2010 warned Nakoula against using false identities. Nakoula was told not to "use, for any purpose or in any manner, any name other than his/her true legal name or names without the prior written approval of the Probation Officer."

There are indications that "Innocence of Muslims" may have already been under way as a film project when Nakoula was arrested. A casting call for actors and crew for a film called "Desert Warrior" ran in Backstage magazine, based in Los Angeles and New York, in May and June 2009. The casting call described the film project as a "historical Arabian Desert adventure" and listed a "Sam Bassiel" as producer.

One notice identified "Pharaoh Voice Inc."as the film's production company. California state records show Pharaoh Voice was incorporated in September 2007 by a "Youssef M. Basseley." The principal address for Pharaoh Voice in Hawaiian Gardens, a southern California community, is the same location where Nakoula lived until 2008, according to state records.
 Needless to say, I'd love to see this douche bag go back to prison.  People like Nakoula underscore that far right Christianity is a cancer on society and a threat to both domestic and international peace.  It's really little better than Islamic extremism.  Just less violent - at least so far.

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